Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway: Open Case by Mickie B. Ashling

We’re so pleased to have author Mickie B. Ashling with us today on the Open Case blog tour, the final book in the Open trilogy from Dreamspinner Press.

Enjoy this little tease from the book, and then be sure to check out the great giveaway below.

Welcome, Mickie!

Hi, all! Thanks for stopping by to help me celebrate the release of Open Case, the final novel in the Open Series. I’m excited to share an exclusive excerpt and give you a chance to win a few giveaways.  Those of you who haven’t read the first two books, Open Seating and Open House, will want to catch up before you start this one.

Since the status change from friends to lovers, Seth Wilder and Bryce McFarland, have had more challenges than the average couple. Through it all, they’ve been united, communicating without reservation in their quest for a happy ending. Now that it’s within reach, Bryce’s ex-lover, sociopath Owen Lightfoot, is back, intent on destroying it all.

The excerpt I’m sharing today features crossover characters from my Horizons Series. Lil and Grier, also Chicago residents, make guest appearances in Open House and Open Case.

I’d like to thank The Novel Approach for hosting and my wonderful publicist J for her excellent help in organizing my blog tour.

About the Book

Author: Mickie B. Ashling
Series: Open Trilogy #3
Release Date: February 3, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Gay Romance
Length: 200 pages
Cover Artist: Catt Ford
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Buy the Book: DSP eBook || DSP Paperback || Amazon || Barnes & Noble
Blurb: Seth Wilder and Bryce McFarland deal with the aftermath of Owen Lightfoot’s destructive rampage. Once again, the insurance company denies the life insurance benefit despite the compelling evidence regarding the underlying cause of Mark’s death. However, they acknowledge their former employee’s complicity in the multiple crimes that have blindsided Seth and Bryce. They settle to keep their names out of the news, offering the couple a million dollars apiece, which they accept.

Owen learns of the big payoff and is determined to get his cut. Just when Seth and Bryce think it is all over, Owen reappears, and what follows tests the very limit of their endurance. Through the help of friends and relatives, Seth and Bryce find the strength to keep their relationship intact while seeking out the best way to stop Owen once and for all.

The Excerpt

Just then, the front door opened, and Lil and Grier stepped out and waved at them. Bryce killed the engine, and they exited the vehicle, looking around the area like enchanted tourists.

“Happy Thanksgiving,” Lil said, giving them each a hug.

Grier followed suit and ushered them into the house. The indoor planters Seth had admired not too long ago were now decorated with cascading LED lights in different shades of the rainbow.

“Wow,” Seth said. “You guys really go all out, don’t you?”

“We love the holidays,” Grier explained. “And we like to entertain. It gives me the perfect excuse to try something different each year.”

“It’s gorgeous,” Seth said.

“I take no credit for this,” Lil announced. “Grier is the absolute king of Christmas décor.”

“Well done,” Bryce said, nodding at his friend. “Maybe next year I can twist your arm to do our house.”

“No problem,” Grier said amenably. “Come on. Let me introduce you to our friends and family. We have a full house tonight.”

They stepped into the family room, and Seth was surprised by the number of young adults huddled on the sofa holding game controllers and yelling at the giant-screen TV.

“Yo, everyone,” Grier called out. “Can you pause for a second?”

With a united groan, hands were lowered and eyes raised to see what was so important. One by one they stood for the introduction. There were two couples. Seth assumed the tall good-looking boy with the almond-shaped eyes was Grier’s son. Bryce had mentioned him in passing, and the resemblance was quite obvious. Same height and build, with an “it” factor that was off the charts. He had his arm slung around the shoulders of a lanky redhead who was the same height. Seth found himself staring into large blue eyes, heavily shadowed in purple, boring into him with frank interest. Aside from the eye makeup, the boy wore lip gloss, and his hair, an eye-catching mix of reds and browns, hung down past his chest.

Grier began with them. “This is my son, Luca, and his boyfriend, Chyna.”

“Hi,” the young couple said in unison.

Bryce acknowledged them with a bob of his head and his standard “Hey.”

“Hello,” Seth replied automatically.

Chyna. The name was as unusual as the stunning individual before him. Although clearly male, there was something mesmerizingly androgynous about the boy that gave Seth pause. Perhaps it was the makeup that threw him off, or the lace-trimmed T-shirt peeking from underneath the fashionably distressed denim jacket, but he had something that set him apart. Seth had seen photos of the latest trends in modeling, and he could easily picture Chyna walking down a ramp or representing a famous perfume or cosmetic line.

“Are you a model?” he blurted.

Chyna flushed, looking quite pleased. “I’m signed up with an agency in New York.”

“I knew it,” Seth said. “I’m looking forward to seeing you on the cover of magazines.”

“Thanks,” Chyna replied, rewarding him with a dazzling smile.

The frown that appeared on Luca’s face was a warning for Seth to drop it. Clearly, the boyfriend wasn’t on board with the modeling gig.

About the Author

Mickie B. Ashling is the pseudonym of a multifaceted woman who is a product of her upbringing in multiple cultures, having lived in Japan, the Philippines, Spain, and the Middle East. Fluent in three languages, she’s a citizen of the world and an interesting mixture of East and West. A little bit of this and a lot of that have brought a unique touch to her literary voice she could never learn from textbooks.

By the time Mickie discovered her talent for writing, real life got in the way, and the business of raising four sons took priority. With the advent of e-publishing—and the inevitable emptying nest—dreams of becoming a published writer were resurrected and she’s never looked back.

She stumbled into the world of men who love men in 2002 and continues to draw inspiration from their ongoing struggle to find equality and happiness in this oftentimes skewed and intolerant world. Her award-winning novels have been called “gut wrenching, daring, and thought provoking.” She admits to being an angst queen and making her men work damn hard for their happy endings.

Mickie currently resides in a suburb outside Chicago.

Connect with Mickie: Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads & Ask the Author | Website | Email

The Giveaway

Win a $20 Dreamspinner Press gift card, an ecopy of Open Seating, or an ecopy of Open House. Three winners! Contest open internationally. Must be 18 or older to enter.

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Follow the Tour

Feb. 3 – Sinfully
Feb. 6 – Love Bytes
Feb. 8 – Bayou Book Junkie
Feb. 10 – Diverse Reader
Feb. 13 – Molly Lolly
Feb. 14 – The Novel Approach
Feb. 16 – Prism Book Alliance
Feb. 20 – Two Chicks Obsessed
Feb. 23 – Just Love